Item-less Auction Raises $900

An online auction raised about $900 for charity last month, but did not sell any tangible goods. The Virtual Economies Realizing True Usefulness, a virtual non-profit organization, raised the money May 28 by auctioning virtual goods to players of Linden Lab’s game Second Life. The game’s currency originates from U.S. dollars in the form of credit card payments, but can then grow or shift based on the economy of the virtual world. Sculptures, clothing, and other goods that can be seen and used in the game were created by users and sold for Linden Dollars. The $1,768.22 (Linden) profits were then changed back into U.S. currency through a web site specializing in virtual-to-real exchange rates. The proceeds went to the Electronic Freedom Foundation, an organization that challenges legislation aimed at restricting online freedoms.